As this is my neighbor I have added lots of additional comments. Let me know what you think.
Pacific Heights, she’s the grand dame of San Francisco living. The mansions are beautiful, the views are breathtaking and the shopping is divine. Prestigious private schools and foreign consulates are sprinkled among exquisitely restored Victorians. Mercedes, BMWs, big SUVs and small hybrids (the new SF status symbol) are parked in the garages of single family homes. The nails salon are always full and city’s best caterers are often double-parked outside the homes of their discriminating clientele. And why not, with picture-perfect views of the Golden Gate Bridge and crisply manicured gardens, these homes make perfect venues for entertaining.
If a mansion at the top of the hill is just outside your reach, there are plenty of beautiful flats throughout the Marina, Cow Hollow, Upper Fillmore and Lower Pac Heights neighborhoods. I found one as my home! Alta Vista and Lafayette Parks fill up on nice days with sunbathers and dog-walkers who don’t have their own back yards. Introduce yourself if you see me – Rocco and I are always there. Rocco, is a dog.
Food and drink options are diverse and plentiful in this area, with the highest concentrations on Union, Chestnut and Fillmore Streets. Harry’s Bar on Fillmore is a great place to meet up with friends for drinks (a great bloody mary on a Sunday morning). Izzy’s has been serving great steaks and “Izzy’s Own” potatoes for as long as anyone can remember, and A16 is a new spot we like for wood-fired pizzas with very European flair. Munching on a BLT at an outside table in the sun at The Grove, on Fillmore or Chestnut locations, is heaven on earth.
Speaking of heaven on earth, the best window shopping (and people watching) in the city is along Union Street, with Upper Fillmore and Chestnut following close behind. Beauty products are a particularly smart thing to shop for in the area because, in addition to a plethora of nail salons and day spas, some of the top cosmetic brands in the business – MAC, BeneFit, Sephora, Lush and Bare Escentuals – have shops here.
Beauty also means fitness and there is no more panoramic place to job or rollerblade that along Crissy Field in the shadow of Golden Gate Bridge. For a more strenuous workout hit the Lyon Street steps, you can always use the view from the top as an excuse to take a breather. The most trips Rocco and I can do on these steps is 3. Or get in the water – surfing, windsurfing and sailing are all popular bay sports just off the Marina. Whatever your activity you can find all the gear you need at great prices in the Sports Basement. Its second location is now housed in the old Presidio Commissary across from Crissy Field.
No matter where you land in Pacific Heights, Upper Fillmore, Cow Hollow or the Marina, you’re sure to find a beautiful home surrounded by beautiful homes and beautiful people (myself included)!
